Let Me In, Let Me Go
by Lovely-Madness-13
Summary: Jeremie's always been protective of Aelita, but when he once again goes too far, Aelita finally decides she's had enough.


A Code Lyoko fanfiction  
Jeremie and Aelita romance with some angst and confusion.  
Please to enjoy^^

"You're not going."  
Those words echoed around her head, until Aelita Shaffer thought her brain might implode.  
"Jeremie-"  
"We don't have time to argue, Aelita. I need you here."  
"They need me there!" Aelita's fists clenched, for one frightening moment, a part of her seriously considered hitting him. Him. Jeremie. She never want to hurt him. Ever.  
Except when he was being plain stupid, like now.  
Her eyes flashed back to where he was sitting, his back to her. How could his voice be so calm, so cold, when she was shaking with fury?  
"Jeremie, I-"  
"Einstein! Can you and Princess finish your lovers quarrel after we deactivate the tower?"  
"Are the monsters defeated?" Jeremie replied, ignore the blush on his face at the suggestion in Odd's question, as well as the angry sound Aelita made behind him.  
"Yeah, for now, if you hurry," Ulrich answered, his voice slightly warped by the distance between Earth and the virtual world of Lyoko.  
"Okay, then." He turned in his chair, but all he saw the elevator door closing. He winced.  
Great job, you idiot, he thought, rubbing his forehead for a moment. All he wanted to do is protect her, yet all he did was make her mad. Maybe he would find a way to apologize once this attack was over. Aelita was always in a better mood once an attack was over. He virtualized Aelita, praying that what Ulich had said about the monsters was true.

"Are you okay, Aelita?" Yumi asked when Aelita landed, cat-like on the ice of the Polar Region.  
Aelita tried to smile, but gave up and shrugged. "Define okay," she replied dryly, and Yumi raised her eyebrows.  
"Come on, little sister," she said, and guestered to overwing she was standing on. "Talk to me." Aelita smiled a little, but shook her head.  
"We've got to hurry. Maybe later."  
With that, she took off, letting her mind drift with the familiar relief of deactivating the tower. She'd have to figure Jeremie out later.

For the second time that day, Jeremie quietly slid his room door closed. He couldn't help smiling slightly, remember how, earlier- or later, in a way- Jim had come down the hall, bellowing at Odd for putting hair jell into the shampoos left out in the showers. Obviously, Odd had learned his lesson.  
The smile faded on his face when he remember what he had to do. Apologize to Aelita. He remembered the look on her face earlier that day when he told her, flat out, that he didn't want her to go to Lyoko to fight.  
Her eyes could be frightening, he thought. Beautiful, mesmerizing, like Aelita herself. He blushed slightly, then shook his head. He didn't deserve to be thinking of her like that. He need to apologize to her, to explain to her that all he wanted to do was make her safe. The idea of losing her was more than he could bare.  
Walking into the cafitera, he looked around for his friends.  
His eyes rested on a group of students in their corner-  
And his heart fell to bottom of the stomach.  
Aelita had her arms wrapped around Odd's neck, and was standing behind him, her head leaning on top of his. As Jeremie watched in stunned horror, she moved slightly to look at Odd in the face, smiled slightly, and kissed him the cheek.  
It didn't register to him that Ulrich and Yumi were standing closer to Odd than usual, that their faces were somber.  
"Aelita!"  
Aelita looked up, and saw Jeremie coming toward then. It didn't register that the strange expression on his face was one of pure jealousy and confusion.  
"What's going on?"  
Aelita pulled away from Odd, and Yumi took her place, gingerly patting his arm. Aelita reached out a hand to him. "Jeremie, you-" To her surprise, Jeremie took a step away from her. She stared at him, unable to distinguish the mix of emotions in his eyes. "What-"  
"I came to apologize for what happened earlier," he said softly, and Aelita thought she heard his voice tremble. Confusion mixed with the emotions buzzing around her head. "But I guess I'm too late for you to forgive me." As Aelita watched, gobsmacked, he spun on his heel and walked away.  
"Jeremie, wait-"  
"Let him go, Princess."  
Aelita turned back, and looked her other three friends. "Why?" She looked back at where Jeremie had been. "I don't get it."  
"He's jealous," Odd muttered, and despite the tears on his face, smiled slightly. "Einstein's the type to jump to the wrong conclusions."  
"What would he be-" Aelita blinked. She could feel a headache coming on.  
"What did he say to you, Aelita?" Yumi asked softly, breaking away from the boys.  
Aelita shook her head. "He said something about apologizing about earlier."  
"About the fight you guys had in the lab."  
Aelita blushed slightly. "That wasn't a fight, Yumi, it just-"  
"You were yelling at him, we could hear it over the com all the way in Lyoko," Yumi told her, and Aelita sighed.  
"Okay, maybe it was a fight. But..." she sighed. "I had forgotten about it, actually. I mean, it's certainly not the first time we've been against each other on that topic." Her eyes flashed for a moment. "I wish he could understand that I am just as capable as fighting as you or the guys. It doesn't make sense, even though I'm sure he thinks it does." Realizing she was ranting, Aelita reined her anger back in, and shook her head. "I think it's the only thing we argue about anymore." She glanced back at Odd. who was now trying to joke casually with Ulrich.. "Until now. What did Odd mean, Jeremie's jealous?"  
Yumi raised her eyebrows. "Imagine if you walked in the cafitera and saw Jeremie hugging and kissing a different girl on the cheek." Aelita stared at her.  
"Jeremie would never-" at the expression on Yumi's face, Aelita stopped, and blushed. The image that Yumi had created leaped in Aelita's head, and her fists clenched automatically. Betrayal was an ugly emotion. Her heart hurt a little, and she forced herself to push the image away.  
"I guess I can understand a little," she admitted, then frowned again. "But didn't he see Odd's face?"  
Yumi smiled wryly and ruffled Aelita's hair. "No, Princess. I think when Jeremie walks into a room, his eyes see you, and only you. Everyone else comes second." Aelita blushed at this.  
"I don't really think it's like that-" Aelita sighed. "But I wish I could tell him what's really going on."  
"Why don't you?" When Aelita just sighed again, Yumi grinned slightly. "Let Einstein cool down a little, and then go and explain," she suggested, watch Aelita's face as she glanced back yet again to the door Jeremie had went through. "I think once he understands, it'll be okay."  
Aelita hesitated, then nodded.  
"Thanks, Yumi." The older girl grinned and winked.  
"None needed, Princess," she replied as they turned and started walking back toward the boys.

Jeremie's head hurt in fifty places, and his heart felt like a stone. Why, just when he thought he had a good idea on his hands, did it always turn inside out and backwards on him? Groaning, he banged his slowly his computer desk.  
"That's gotta hurt," said a wry voice from the doorway, and Jeremie spun.  
Odd stood there, his arms crossed as he leaned against Jeremie's doorframe. The image in Jeremie's head of Aelita wrapped around Odd flashed again, and Jeremie tried hard not to glare furiously at the blond and purple haired boy. He didn't like being jealous, but it certainly hadn't been the first time. Or probably the last.  
Forget about it, Jeremie tried to tell himself. It's not like you deserve her anyway.  
"Look, Einstein-"  
"Odd, I've got work to do, so if you could just-"  
"Jeremie, that might work with Princess, but I'm a lot harder to get rid of," Odd stated, coming forward to perch on Jeremie's computer table. Jeremie raised his eyebrows, then gave up.  
"No kidding," he replied, his voice dry. Odd grinned, but it faded quickly. Jeremie frowned suddenly. The computer light threw the other boys face into sharp relief, and Jeremie thought he saw dark circles and tear tracks still around his eyes. "Odd, did something happen?"  
Odd shrugged. "Maybe. You saw Aelita, I'm sure." Jeremie blushed and opened his mouth, but Odd cut him off. "I'm not gonna go into it, and I know you won't believe me. Heck, you might not even believe Princess if she told you, but you don't have anything to be jealous about."  
"I- I'm n-not jealous!" Jeremie sputtered, his face going red. "I just-"  
"Saw the girl you love around some other guy, and jumped to the wrong conclusion," Odd finished, and smiled at the blue-eyed boy's dumbfounded expression. "Don't worry, you're not the only one who does it." He winked. "But maybe you do it more than most." When Jeremie just stammered like a fish out of water, Odd smiled a little and slide off the table. "When Princess comes to talk to you later, listen to her, why don't you?"  
Jeremie opened his mouth, closed it again. The other boy was almost out the door when he finally got his voice back.  
"Odd, what was wrong this morning?"  
When there was silence, Jeremie turned in his computer chair. Odd hadn't moved, but was smiling strangely. It was a sad, almost self-mocking smile. Concerned for his friend, and feeling guilty for the way he acted, Jeremie stood, frowning. Odd shrugged.  
"Nothing, now. It's okay." He grinned at Jeremie. "You worry about Princess, not about me, k' Einstein?" He slapped the be-speckled boy on the shoulder, then walked out of the room. Jeremie stood there, his head whirling.

It wasn't until science class later when Jeremie finally got an answer, this time, out of Ulrich.  
"His mom was sent to the hospital last night."  
Jeremie stared. "What?"  
Ulrich glanced in Odd's direction, who was flirting with one of the girls a row away as if nothing was wrong. "Odd said he missed the phone call the first time around because of Jim." Ulrich winced slightly. "I guess she had a stroke or something. But he said she's in stable condition, and it's okay. It was minor." He raised his eyebrows. "He didn't tell you?"  
Jeremie shook his head, feeling like an idiot all over again. "No. God, I'm so stupid."  
Ulich snorted. "You said it, I didn't."  
Jeremie glared at him. "You know what I mean." He sighed and rested his face in his hands. "First I'm a possessive jerk towards Aelita, then I'm a jealous weirdo, and then I'm a blind fool towards Odd."  
Ulrich grinned. "I think Odd forgives you, Einstein." He nodded towards the classroom door. "Now, Aelita, on the other hand, you might have your work cut you for you." He held out a hand as if wishing Jeremie good luck in a fight. Jeremie glanced over at the door, and, as usual, felt his heart stall a little when his eyes landed on Aelita. Her gaze sweeped the room, then rested on him. Jeremie tried for a smile, but, to his dismay, Aelita looked away from him, and slide into her seat up the row.  
"Like I said, Einstein," Ulrich muttered as the teacher called the class to order. "Good luck."  
Jeremie felt his heart sink a little. "Thanks a lot," he muttered.

It was difficult for Aelita to pay attention in class. Ever few seconds, her mind decided to push her thoughts back in the direction of the boy genius sitting a little ways behind her. If only there was a way to talk to him, but they had no time in between classes, and she didn't dare write what she was thinking in a text or note. It was too complicated, and would be better if she could say it to his face. What ever she was going to say, that is. She sighed. She still didn't have a clue.  
Eventually, the bell rang, and as one, the students stood and being filing off to their next classes. On her way, Aelita tried to make her way towards Jeremie, but instead bumped into Odd. She smiled at her friend.  
"How are you feeling?"  
Odd grinned at her and ruffled her hair. "Never better, Princess. I told you it'd be okay. But thanks." He winked at her. "Now, why don't you go ask how Einstein's feeling?" Aelita blushed, and Odd sniggered.  
"You two are priceless," he told her, and strode away. Aelita blinked, then shook her head. Turning to make her way to her next class, she paused, frowning.  
Was someone screaming?  
A chill went up her spine. The next second, a group of students, mostly tiny sixth graders, pelted down the hallway, yelling at the top of their lungs.  
"We didn't do it, we-"  
More screams hit the air, and Aelita's eyes widened in horror. A rush of water was barreling down the hallway, sweeping up student and staff alike in it's path. Before Aelita could start to back away, the waves swept her up.  
Tumbling end over end, Aelita forced herself to the top of the water, sputtering as it carried her along at top speed. Something pulled at her ankle, and Aelita went under again with a scream.  
Opening her eyes under water, Aelita saw something with tentacles let go of her and swim away. Energized by horror, she kicked her way to freedom again.  
Suddenly, just as quickly as it started, the water stopped, and began to drain. Stunned and shivering, Aelita found that she was able to stand. Glancing around, she saw other students free themselves from the water. The strange waves had carried them out into the courtyard, which was now filled with puddles.  
"Aelita!"  
Jeremie, a mircously dry Jeremie, was pelting toward her as fast as he could. For a second, when he stopped in front of her, he could do little but gasp for air. She stared at him, then jumped forward and hugged him. He was so warm, she realized happily as his hand came to rest nervously on her shoulder. And he smelled good. She wanted to snuggle closer, but stopped herself.  
"Jeremie! I'm so glad your okay. Where are the others? Why aren't you wet?" Pulling back she stared at him, seeing his face had turned red and his eyes had widened. When she realized that he was staring at her with an awed look on his face, she looked down at herself. The waves had plastered her clothes to her skin, turning her pink shirt semi-transparent. She blushed vividly, but met his eyes squarely, feeling a smile tug at her lips. "Jeremie, stop staring at me like that. I look like a pink drowned rat." She waved a hand in front of his eyes, then playfully pushed his glasses back up over the bridge of his nose. "We need to get to the factory."  
Jeremie jerked his head sharply, as if trying to pull himself out a daze. "Uh, yeah." Aelita sighed, and taking his hand, they set off at run towards the factory.  
"I called Yumi, she was just coming to class," Jeremie explained as they hurried through the sewers. "I think Odd and Ulrich's cell phones have probably been broke by the water, but Yumi said she'll try to find them as soon as possible." He stopped for a moment, taking her hand and blushing. "I'm just glad I found you, Aelita, I was so worried-"  
Aelita blushed, but took her hand from his and started to climb up the ladder to the bridge. "Aelita, I-" Jeremie started from behind her, then stopped. Maybe now wasn't the greatest time to bring up his less than intelligent actions of the past days.  
"This is crazy," Aelita panted as they rested the elevator a minute later. "X.A.N.A. just got done attacking. I thought he needed time to gain his strength back."  
Jeremie shook his head, and winced. "The water's not the attack, Aelita," he said, his voice very grave. "It's what's in the water that's the problem."  
Aelita's eyes widened. "I thought I saw-"  
"It's not the Skyphazoa," he told her quickly. "But it's very similar. I wonder if the first attack was a cover for this one." He winced. "Well, I hope the others hurry, we need to fix it before something else happens."  
As they emerged into the tower room, Jeremie started to step back into the elevator, then saw Aelita walked towards the scanner. Dread filled his heart when he felt the familiar panic of sending Aelita to Lyoko on her own.  
"I need to go, Jeremie," she said softly, looking at him. "I could get started, and you could send the others when they got here."  
"No." The response was instant, but before Jeremie could take it back, Aelita's eyes flashed.  
"What?"  
Stubborn love and concern warred in his head with his heart, and Jeremie shook his head. "Aelita, I can't let you do that."  
"Let me?" Aelita took a step towards him, her eyes dangerous like they had been earlier. She beckoned a finger at him. "Come over here and say that, Jeremie." For a second, Jeremie hesitated. She was angry, he could tell that much, but there was something strange in her voice. It was calm, silky. He tried to ignore the thoughts in his brain wondering how if this was how her voice would sound after she was kissed. God, now was not the time to think about that.  
"Jeremie, for all we know, that monster in the water is headed this way, right now," Aelita murmured, her gaze not leaving his. "You need to let me go."  
Jeremie opened his mouth, knowing that the best answer was yes, but- stupid, stupid stubbornness- but shook his head. "No."  
Aelita beckoned a finger at him again. "Come here, Jeremie."  
Jeremie hesitated, then moved forward. The second he was close enough, Aelita's hand shot out, and grabbing the front of his shirt, yanked him so he was almost nose to nose with her. Shocked both by the action and the surprising strength, Jeremie could nothing but stare into her beautiful, furious face.  
"Number one, Jeremie Belpois, you need to know that I am not a little girl anymore, bending to everyone's whim. Do you think I want to go and fight?" Her eyes flashed. "I'm going because I know what to do. If we wait for the others, it'll be precious time wasted." When Jeremie opened his mouth, she cut him off. "Number two, don't forget that I'm not playing warrior Princess for anyone but you. If I can save the others, I will, but you want to know something? In my head, my biggest fear is that you will get hurt." She smiled angrily. "Isn't that ironic? And, number three, so you don't make this mistake again," she added when Jeremie tried to speak again. "For the record, there is no one else, Jeremie. I love you, and I don't want to see you get hurt. I can't lose you. So, thus, I'm going to tell you to shove your over protective notions back where they came from, because I'm doing this for you. And no one, not even you, can tell me no." She released him and backed up, breathing heavily.  
Jeremie stared at her, pale, his eyes wide.  
"A-Aelita-"  
She turned, and started to get the scanner.  
"Say that last one again?"  
For a moment, she stared, then turned to look at him. Despite everything, the sight of him, sweet, stunned, handsome, confused, blushing, it threatened to make her heart stop. She smiled a little. "Not now," she replied. "Maybe when I come back." For a moment Jeremie frowned, as if he was going to still argue with her. Then, before Aelita could move back a step, Jeremie took another step forward.  
"If you get yourself killed, Aelita," he said softly, his blue eyes suddenly very bright. "I  
"You'll never forgive me?" Aelita finished for him, smiling slightly. It was something Ulrich had said to Yumi once.  
Jeremie shook his head, smiling wryly. "No. If you get yourself killed, I will die out of sheer spite, then follow you around heaven until we both crazy."  
Despite everything, Aelita smiled, raising an eyebrow. "What makes you think I'll go to heaven? I'm no angel."  
Jeremie hesitated, then reached out a hand, and gently ran a finger over her cheek. "No, but being with you is the closest thing to heaven I'll probably ever be."  
Aelita's heart pounded hard once, stopped, then started up again, going even faster than before. Speechless, she stared up at him, into his eyes. The distant sound of the elevator come on broke the staring contest, and Aelita pulled away from him.  
"That's the others," she muttered, and stepped into the scanner. Jeremie nodded, his gaze not leaving hers.  
"I'll send you in."

Flying over the desert region, Aelita dodged laser after laser, trying to get to the tower. The others were far behind although she could already hear the boys yelling about how many monsters they had killed so far. Aelita rolled her eyes, and kept going. Despite the battle, she couldn't stop replying what she had said to Jeremie- and what he had said in return- over and over in her mind. She had thought she had gone to far, saying what she said, but, then Jeremie had been so...she sighed, then yelped when a hornet shot her foot. She spun in mid-air, shooting an energy field at the offender, who dodged it and kept come at her. Annoyed now, Aelita flipped and dodged.  
"Stupid-buzzing-things!" She grumbled, then smirked when one finally got hit.  
"Enjoying your freedom?" Called Ulrich from behind her. Aelita turned and grinned at her friends.  
"It's about time!"  
Odd whizzed up next to her on his overboard. "What you missed us already?" Aelita rolled her eyes.  
"Yeah, about as much as going to gym class."  
"Talking about getting our exercise-" Jeremie called from the intercom. "Sorry to rush, but could you guys hurry?" Hearing the worry in his voice, Aelita winced and started off towards the tower, which was shimmering red in the distance.  
"The water's coming?"  
"Not exactly," came Jeremie's answer, and Aelita's heart shook as she remembered the monster that lived in the waters that XANA sent.  
"Jeremie, if you get hurt-" she started, but Jeremie cut her off.  
"I'm okay, if you hurry."  
"But the tower's still far!" Yumi shouted as she blocked a laser from another monster. "How are we gonna get there in time?"  
Aelita, her heart in her throat, glanced ahead of them. Just as she feared, there was a whole slew of monsters in front of the activated tower. They'd never get there in time, and Jeremie-  
An idea occurred to her, and she flickered down towards Ulrich.  
"Ulrich, I need you to do me a favor."  
The neo- samari looked at her, then raised his eyebrows, surprised. "Okay?"  
"Aelita?" Asked Jeremie from above. "What are you planning?"  
Aelita smiled slowly. "Something." Ignoring Jeremie's next question, she turned back to Ulrich.  
"Can you carry me on your shoulders and super-sprint at the same time?"  
Ulrich stared at her, then nodded slowly. "It should work. Why?"  
Aelita shook her head. "I don't know why." Even on Lyoko, her eyes flashed dangerously. "We don't have time to explain." Jeremie's in danger, shrieked a voice in her head, but she didn't voice that out loud. Ulrich nodded, then got off his over bike. Aelita flapped her wings, then landed gracefully on his shoulders, keeping her wings out.  
Behind them, Yumi and Odd started sniggering at the very strange picture they made. Aelita ignored them.  
"Go."  
"SUPER-SPRINT!"  
As they flew along the ground at breakneck speed, Aelita closed her eyes, and started singing softly. She heard Yumi and Odd's yell of surprise, heard Jeremie's gasp, and smiled. Opening her eyes, she saw the ramp that she had made, looming in front of them.  
"Ulrich, on my mark, let me go," she whispered, and Ulrich grunted. "One, two-" Ulrich raced up the ramp. "Three!"  
Ulrich let go and Aelita pushed off his shoulders, her wings pushing the air far harder than normal. She speed straight past the monsters, and landed headfirst in the activated tower.  
Her heart pounding, Aelita smiled, and stood up.  
"Aelita-"  
Even the tower, she could hear Jeremie's voice, full of admiration and joy. Her smile widened, and relief grew in her heart. He was safe now.  
"Aelita, that was fantastic! You're a genius. If I was there, I'd kiss you!"  
Stepping onto the platform, Aelita's smile turned teasing. Not for the first time that day, she took a chance, knowing that, since she was in the tower, the others wouldn't be able to hear her. "When I come back, Jeremie, why don't you?"  
Before Jeremie could respond, she walked into the middle of the circles, and felt the magick of the tower carry her upward.  
"Tower Deactivated."  
White light surrounded her, and Aelita felt herself become human once again.  
Smiling, she opened her eyes, stepped out of the scanner.  
And walked right into Jeremie.  
Surprised, she blinked up at him. "Je-Jeremie, I thought you were going to do a return to the-"  
Jeremie smiled, his face already a little pink. "I will." He was shaking a little, Aelita realized. She frowned, and reached out a hand to him.  
"Jeremie, what's-"  
Cutting her off again, Jeremie's smile widened. "First I've got a promise to keep."  
He was so close. Aelita's heart beat kicked up a notch. "What promise-"  
That was as far as she got before Jeremie leaned and settled his lips on hers.  
Aelita gasped, her knees threatening to buckle. Jeremie seemed to hesitate, then cupped her face in his hands. Aelita's eyes slid closed, and with a sigh, she let her hands fall on his shoulders, playing with his hair.  
"Ah-hem."  
The two jumped apart, both turning several shades of red. Their three best friends stood there, their eyebrows raised and their arms crossed.  
"I guess you're not jealous, then Einstein?" Odd muttered, then winced when Ulrich elbowed him.  
Jeremie blushed more, then grinned, shaking his head and looking back at Aelita. "I...I had some sense knocked into me," he replied, smiling down at her. "I've got nothing to be jealous about." Aelita laughed, and threw her arms around him. Ulrich and Yumi glanced each other, blushed, then looked away. Odd just grinned, shook his head, and walked out, his hands in his pockets.


End file.
